John Thomson Mason Jr.

For other people called John Thomson Mason, see John Thomson Mason (disambiguation).

John Thomson Mason Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 6th district
In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843
Preceded by	Francis Thomas
Succeeded by	Thomas Ara Spence
24th Secretary of State of Maryland
In office 1872–1873
Governor	William Pinkney Whyte
Preceded by	Richard C. Hollyday
Succeeded by	Richard C. Hollyday
Member of Maryland House of Delegates
In office 1838–1839
Personal details
Born	(1815-05-09)May 9, 1815 Montpelier, Clear Spring, Maryland
Died	March 28, 1873(1873-03-28) (aged 57) Elkton, Maryland
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Margaret Augusta Cowan
Children	4
Residence(s)	Stafford Hall, Washington County, Maryland
Alma mater	Princeton University
Occupation	Attorney

John Thomson Mason Jr. (May 9, 1815 – March 28, 1873) was a U.S. Congressman from Maryland, representing the sixth district from 1841 to 1843.

Early life and education

Born at the Montpelier estate near Hagerstown, Maryland, Mason was educated by a private tutor and graduated from Princeton College in 1836. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Hagerstown in 1838.

Political career

Mason later served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1838 and 1839, and was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-seventh Congress, serving one term from March 4, 1841, to March 3, 1843. He was a judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals from 1851 to 1857, and afterwards a collector of customs at Baltimore, Maryland, from 1857 to 1861. He moved to Annapolis, Maryland, and served as Secretary of State of Maryland from 1872 until his death in 1873.

Death and interment

Mason died on March 28, 1873, in Elkton, Maryland at age 57. He is interred in Rose Hill Cemetery (Maryland) in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Marriage and children

Mason married Margaret Augusta Cowan in Alleghany City, Pennsylvania on December 14, 1842. The couple had four children:

• Louise Gilmer Mason Terry (February 12, 1844–September 26, 1921)
• William Temple Thomson Mason (December 12, 1845–April 5, 1847)
• Elizabeth Mason Porter (born March 28, 1848)
• John Thomson Mason (born January 3, 1850)

Relations

John Thomson Mason Jr. was a grandnephew of George Mason (1725–1792); grandson of Thomson Mason (1733–1785); nephew of Stevens Thomson Mason (1760–1803); son of John Thomson Mason (1765–1824) and Elizabeth Beltzhoover Mason (1781–1836); second cousin of Thomson Francis Mason (1785–1838); first cousin of Armistead Thomson Mason (1787–1819), John Thomson Mason (1787–1850), and James Murray Mason (1798–1871); and first cousin once removed of Stevens Thomson Mason (1811–1843).

References

• United States Congress. "John Thomson Mason Jr. (id: M000219)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.